Only 1/3 of College Students Feel Prepared for the Workplace

Being a graduate is tough. You have to leave your college days behind, find a proper grown-up job and sometimes move to a whole new city in the process.

The change from education to the working world can be a very scary time and it’s a transition that isn’t talked about nearly enough.

However, a new survey from Strada-Gallup in the US is shining a light on this daunting process.

According to the survey, only 1/3 of college students feel prepared that they’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the job market and in the workplace.

That is a scary statistic. Graduates are entering the world of work without the confidence and reassurance that they will succeed despite their years of study.

The survey took into account the views of more than 32,000 current college students at 43 randomly selected four-year institutions.

The institutions ranged from large public universities to liberal arts colleges.

Student’s confidence levels vary from sector to sector. For example, students pursuing science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) degrees report the most confidence about their job prospects with 62% strongly agreeing their major will lead to a good job.

This is compared with 40% of liberal arts majors, 51% of business majors and 58% of those in public service majors like education, social work and criminal justice.

So, what is the solution to this crisis of confidence?

According to the findings, school personnel and faculty members can make a big difference if they approach students and talk to them about careers.

Students who had talked to a university staff member about their career options were more likely to express feelings of career readiness. 41% of these students said they are confident they will graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in the workplace.

In comparison, only 28% of students who hadn’t talked to a faculty member felt they would be successful.